> REVIEW
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Avengers Assemble (2012)
We’ve been expecting you…
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By Simon Francis | April 2012
DIRECTOR: Joss Whedon
WRITER(s): Joss Whedon / Zak Penn / Stan Lee / Jack Kirby (source)
After a successful run of hits for Marvel Studios and five years of teasing epilogues, director Joss Whedon finally answers fan-boys dreams everywhere with the arrival of the long anticipated superhero extravaganza Avengers Assemble.
When super villain and Thor’s half brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) returns to steal a powerful energy Cube (the Tesseract) and uses it to raise a vicious alien army (The Chitauri) in his bid for universal domination, it is up to S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to assemble a team capable of counteracting the apocalyptic threat. Step-up, Iron-Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). But can our heroes put aside their titanic egos and work together to defeat the alien army and save humanity?
Whedon’s script sizzles and pops with suspense, thrills and humour. Tom Hiddleston’s deliciously evil Loki and Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark unsurprisingly dominate with quick wit and unbeatable quips. But Whedon does well not to let the rest of the cast fade into the background. Mark Ruffalo is the third man to step into the role of Bruce Banner/Hulk after Eric Bana and Ed Norton and delivers the best incarnation to date with a strong and believable performance that almost steals the film from Hiddleston. Clark Gregg also reprises his role as Agent Phil Coulson to much delight and is finally allowed to do more than just look official.
It’s not perfect, a minor plot strand/back story for the lesser team members, Black Widow and Hawkeye feels a tad unnecessary and tacked on at times, while the narrative is peppered with holes, such as how Nick Fury and the Avengers did not address who the alien race were that Loki was in cahoots with, even though he refers to them throughout. While the finale, as grand as it is, would have benefited from a time trim.
And yet despite these minor discrepancies Whedon’s film pulses and flows almost impeccably. His direction is assured and bold with choreography and fight sequences, which despite not offering anything original, remain consistently engaging and the lavish visual effects are outstanding; even the 3D works. The money shot of our heroes assembling in a circle, ready for battle, it’s nothing short of goose-bump inducing, even for those who aren’t particularly fans of the genre.
Whether you have followed the film’s slow and subtle build up or not Avengers Assemble remains a fresh, exciting and unapologetically popcorn experience. With the release of The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-man promising a darker side to superhero shenanigans, Whedon’s Avengers Assemble smartly caters for all and is not to be missed.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Whedon and Penn’s narrative remains true to it’s comic book roots effortlessly,
combining thrills and humour for an irresistibly enjoyable superhero
experience. 4
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Whedon balances Marvel’s franchise juggernauts with care and confidence,
delivering a blockbuster worthy of any summer. 4
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Sequels assemble! 4
